UN agency and Australia team up to support decent work in Asia-Pacific nations

The United Nations labour agency and the Government of Australia have signed the first-ever partnership agreement to support jobs for people in Asia and the Pacific.

“This reinforces our bond with Australia and our strong common commitment to the Global Jobs Pact,” said María Angélica Ducci on behalf of Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO)

The five-year partnership agreement will provide $13.9 million in the first two years.

The funds will go to ILO initiatives, such as the Better Work Programme which was designed in 2006 to improve labour standards and competitiveness, and is being piloted in Jordan, Lesotho and Viet Nam.

The funding will also support labour law reform, a Pacific growth and employment plan, youth employment in Timor-Leste, green jobs and labour migration governance.

Australian Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib signed the agreement on behalf of his Government while attending the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ meeting in Washington D.C.